How is my Witness?
HHM Pastor Jim Parisi Aug 11, 2002
There was a little old man who was seen each Sunday walking to Church. In the rain, the snow or the blazing sun. You would see like clockwork this old man making his way to church every Sunday morning of his adult life. You could set your watch by his weekly trek. The one unique thing about this man was that he was 100 percent deaf. He could not hear a word of the sermon, he could not hear the music, and he could not hear the voices of the congregation. One Sunday a new person on the block a scoffer confronted the old man on his way to church and asked, I see you every week walking past my house to church “Why do you spend your Sundays in that church, you can’t hear a thing that is going on there, why bother. Why not sit home and watch TV?
The Old Man looked at the poor soul knowing he was lost with compassion in his eyes as spoke, first the old man said, even though I am not able to hear the voices or the music, I know with out a doubt that the Lord is there and I can feel his presence.
Secondly he explained to the local resident. I walk this walk every week no matter what the condition, because I want my neighbors to know which side I am on, and what I stand for..
The Moral of the story is: TAKE A FIRM STAND let everyone know what you believe in, tell them what side you are on
The little old man knew who he was. He was sacrificing for others so they could see him as a living testimony.
His witness was drawing them to ask questions about his habits.
The neighbor saw one thing but the little old man showed him something greater
This is what Christianity today is about, it’s YOUR WITNESS they are looking at under a microscope
Looking to see faults and cracks in your testimony
The testimony of your life is what will draw or repel others to the Lord or from the Lord
It is all done without you saying a word
The message today is:
6 Points on how others define your witness?
One….. Is your, individual or outward appearance
Luke 9:29 As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.
Do I look and act like a Christian?
How is my dress?
When I look in the mirror do I say ….. wow now that’s a handsome Christian?
When you are in the right place, am I rightly aligned with God
Men will notice that there something different about you.
What you looked like before is not what you will look like after.
You don’t have that heavy look of the world upon you anymore .
A look like the weight of the world is on your back
You start to look different, feel different, your strut is different. You start to think differently.
But most of all you see the world differently
And it is having a good effect on you.
Two…. Is your, communicative ability to others
How you think and sound….
1Co 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child; I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
The way others receive your actions and words…
Can they depend on you? Is your word your bond?
Can you understand their needs?
Are you able to speak to them and sooth their hearts?
Can you minister to their needs with a few kind words?
Are your words seasoned with salt, not to hurt or harm others but to love them with every syllable?
The Tongue can either bless or kill
Jas 3: 8-10 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
1Pe 3:10 For "He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit.
Our tongue is to be used to bless and praise God
Three…. Is your, personal conviction and relationship to God
Who are you serving? Are you serving man or God?
Are you sitting on the fence or are you doing the will of the Father like Jesus?
Is your Life a living testimony of His love?
Are you in fellowshipping with Him?
1Co 1:9 -God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
You have been called into a place to fellowship with God and His son
It is up to you the amount of time and effort you put into it
And because of your new understanding and Fellowship with God
You can’t live life the old way you did before. Can’t be just one of the crowd
2Co 6:14 -Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?
Things changed in you and in your heart. Things have changed in your life .. I’m going to tell you straight
You can’t go back
the scriptures says in the new English translation the best
Pr 26:11 A fool doing some stupid thing a second time is like a dog going back to its vomit.
If you are with them for what ever reason … hanging out you need to be witnessing the love of Jesus to them
Look them in the face as they have a death sentence with only one door out
The door is Jesus Christ …
Believe me I have been there and there is no other door
If they are your friends then you need to be winning them over to Christ and not having you compromise who you are in GOD
Because there will be a day you wish you at least tried.
The days of seesaw Christianity is over …. You can’t sit on a fence and survive today in this world
it’s the world that will eat you up first
Let them see what is in your heart
Stop being like a turtle and only popping your head out on Sunday when it’s safe to be a Christian
AND THE REST OF THE WEEK HIDING IN YOUR SAFE WARM SHELL
I looked at Chic Hearn’s funeral this week what a great man what a great announcer what a pal what a friend they were all lining up
I got to believe a few of them were Christians
All I could think about was. Was he saved?
Did he have a relationship with Jesus Christ?
Where is he now?
I hope someone of all these people who claimed to loved him just one would have ministered the gospel to him and he accepted Christ
That’s how I think I’m here to win souls
And my life is of no consequence to me anymore because I gave it back to God 20 years ago
and he never left me even though I have left Him at times
Four…. is your, heart attitude in serving Him only
This one is between you and God
It doesn’t get clearer then this
Mt 6:24 - "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Choose today who you are going to serve
You have a choice Man or God?
No one can force you to serve God
But be sure if you are telling people that you are a Christian you live up to the standards of being one
Because if your professing something your not
If they ask you are you a Christian? And you say Ohhh
no not me what are you kidding… ME?
Mt 10:33 - But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
What is the standard you ask?
Look in your bible it will tell you all you need to know
Ro 1:1 - Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God
Also were James, Peter and Jude godly company I would say
A bondservant for Christ sold out heart mind and body
I serve Him by choice and I serve because I love Him
A bond servant…. one who gives himself freely
Five….. Is your, Compassion for his people
To walks amongst them and serve them
To minister to their needs first then your own
Even Peter was redeemed by Jesus
Because Jesus knew his heart
Peter wanted to know what to do and Jesus answered
Joh 21:17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.
Jesus wanted peter to Love the sheep as he loved them
The Lord has commissioned us to care for His flock and tend to their needs
They must come first
Before we eat they must eat
We are responsible for them in the eyes of the lord
They are entrusted to our care
Six…. Your Giving of yourself and your resources for his work
One is your body and your time to the service of God
A living sacrifice
Ro 12:1 - I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
Paul says it is reasonable service
Or nothing out of the ordinary…
It is our duty to give the best of ourselves and our assets
All our wealth and talents are of God anyway.
Because if you are not using the wealth he has given you properly
He will take it away
Look the parable of the talents in Mat 25 14- 30 you can read your self
We all know the story it’s in the bible
The ones who properly sowed were given more and the ones who didn’t sow at all or not enough everything was taken from them
What to give
Old Testament is the tithe malachi 3: 8-12 read it on your own
Tithing indicated Israel’s devotion to God, and the people did not always give as they should. Withholding tithes and offerings was regarded as robbing God
8 and 9 show what happens there
but great prosperity was promised if they would obey
We will use 3:10 to make this point here on what happens if we do
Malachi 3:10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do," says the LORD Almighty, "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let me prove it to you!
( The church today would be considered the storehouse )
You say pastor we are a new testament church
new testament is sacrificial offerings
Greater then the tithe you give your life
2 Cor 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: although He was rich, for your sake He became poor, so that by His poverty you might become rich.
He gave it all he gave his life give everything
Its like the rich young ruler
I do believe that the Lord lets us decide too
2 cor 9: So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
He leaves it up to you what kind of blessing you want
Same as the men with the talents… what you put in you will get out
If you hold it in your fist tightly it will fall out like grains of sand
If your not doing your best I have a suggestion..
Change your lifestyle
Change your idea of what you may need and not in this life
Cut away what is not a necessity for a season or more
We are to be called to be good Stewarts of what God gives us
The reason I am saying this today is that there will be a day you will need it back and when you step up to the window God will say
Where is yours that you put into the storehouse all these years
Not giving what is due to Him telling yourself that things are too expensive or too much this or that to give
That’s a lie from the pit of hell
Satan wants you to fail and be hungry
I just want to be clear that this is not a plea for money …
But a teaching on doing your best for God
Giving him your best the first fruits of your life not the last
Presenting yourself as a living sacrifice acceptable before Him
So you can receive the blessings of God or not it’s a choice
This is so the blessings will be added to you as the talents
God doesn’t need our money and Harvest House will grow With or without me or with or with out you
I would just rather be in a place that I sowed my best into it
Sowing my best into the Kingdome of God
So that I can receive a greater blessing down the road
or when times are tough and the years are lean you can reach in and say
Thanks you Lord for making sure my home is safe and there is food on my table..
It’s time to trust him for everything…. Including our finance
This is how you start
Even if you can’t do it all today start with a seed offering
Give your best to the Lord
Put your best in the bucket for His work…the work we are doing here
So that a mighty harvest may come tomorrow or in your time of need
You start today and do your best every week
Your situation will change. Your blessing will increase
And if you need to change your witness or a part of you life now
Just raise your hand up right in your seat and ask him
He wants to change your life today
Amen
